LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
February 19/2010
Bible Of the
Day
Mathhew 6/24-34: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one
and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You
can’t serve both God and Mammon. 6:25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for
your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body,
what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
6:26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor
gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more
value than they? 6:27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his
lifespan? 6:28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the
field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 6:29 yet I tell you
that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 6:30 But
if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is
thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
6:31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we
drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 6:32 For the Gentiles seek after all
these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
6:33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things
will be given to you as well. 6:34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for
tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Iran…Not
Our War/February
18/10
Nausea and the Jdeideh incident/By:
Michael Young/February 18, 10
Now Lebanon: Interview with MP.
Marwan Hamadeh/February 18, 10
Egyptian Government Attempts to
Silence Coptic Diaspora/(AINA)/ February
18/10
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for February 18/10
Ahmadinejad: Israel planning war
this summer/world tribune
Ahmadinejad contacts Sleiman/NNA
Moussa: Graveness of Regional
Situation Necessitates High-Level Lebanese Participation in Arab Summit/Naharnet
Austrian FM Discusses Prospects for Mideast Peace, Joining UNIFIL/Naharnet
Czech FM in Beirut/Naharnet
Cabinet Okays Municipal
Election Reform Law/Naharnet
11 Qaida-Linked Suspects
Charged with Spying/Naharnet
Harb Opposed Proportional Representation, Najjar
Approved after Amendments/Naharnet
Berri:
We Want 'Transition to Statehood' But Only After Acknowledging End of 'Former'
State/Naharnet
Larcher
Wants Paris to Support Lebanese Army to Safeguard Lebanon/Naharnet
Egyptian Government Attempts to
Silence Coptic Diaspora
http://www.aina.org/news/20100217122155.htm
(AINA) -- The drive-by shooting of Copts as they left Christmas Eve mass on
January 6 in the southern Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi has shocked and enraged
Copts all over the world. (http://www.aina.org/news/20100107150122.htm)
International condemnations poured in after the attack, which left six Copts
dead and nine injured, with Italy, Canada, France, the Vatican, the US Congress,
and the European Parliament, expressing their concerns about the safety the
Copts in Egypt. In reply, a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said, "It
is an internal Egyptian matter that no foreign party is allowed to consider."
The shootings triggered unprecedented protests by Copts inside Egypt and abroad.
Explaining this Coptic reaction, Coptic intellectual Magdi Khalil said on Life
TV on February 4 "This incident is not like the rest. Copts feel they are in
danger, and a bigger one is forthcoming. They finally have realized that the
crimes against them are not individual incidents but rather 'crimes against
humanity' planned by the Egyptian State itself."
Thousands of Copts participated in peaceful rallies in Western countries,
voicing their grievances and exposing the Egyptian Regime's infamy. For the
first time Coptic clergy participated in the rallies, and in some countries
members of parliament also attended. Petitions have gone out to most Western
leaders, and a great number of Copts have contacted their Parliament
representatives asking for support (video).
After the shootings, state security imposed a news blackout on Nag Hammadi. The
media and rights activists were forbidden to enter the area, and those who did
were arrested. To counteract this, Votoc and Middle East Christian Association,
two Coptic advocacy groups from outside Egypt, exposed the false information
given by the government using their heavily frequented Paltalk chat rooms. They
carried out updates and live interviews with Coptic witnesses from the scenes.
Their servers were hacked twice by government operators.
The outrage of the international community and the success of the Coptic
immigrants in raising awareness of the serious situation of the Copts caused the
Egyptian government to intensify its efforts to silence them.
The Coptic Diaspora has always been accused by the Egyptian regime of
"tarnishing" Egypt's image by presenting Coptic problems before foreign
governments instead of solving them inside the country.
"Weakening their role as a pressure group abroad is a way to sabotage Coptic
efforts in obtaining real gains," Khalil said, "and depriving the Copts in Egypt
from the lungs through which they breath. The real work for the Coptic Issue is
done abroad, and not inside Egypt. Coptic emigrants are effective on the
political and human rights levels."
According to Khalil, the Foreign Minister, Ahmad Abu el-Gheit, held a secret
meeting on January 19 with all his aides and ambassadors -- excluding the two
Coptic ambassadors -- around the world to announce a "new strategy" to encounter
the activities of the Coptic Diaspora. Abu el-Gheit said the Coptic Diaspora is
a "fifth column," "enemies of Egypt," "who have a separate identity" and "all
measures ought to be taken in all Egyptian Embassies around the world to curb
their activities." The second part of the "new strategy" is to "convince the
homeland Copts that the activities of the Copts abroad will increase Muslim
attacks on them, and the outside world will not be able to save them." Khalil
said that he got this information from a Muslim ambassador who attended the
secret meeting and who disagreed with the policy.
Reacting to world pressure President Mubarak said on January 25, during his
speech to mark national Police Day, that there have been "continued attempts" to
disrupt national unity in Egypt and provoke sectarian strife in the country.
"There exist extremists on both sides, and there are individuals who try to
exploit Egypt's ordinary people. We must resist these efforts with all our
powers." These comments were viewed as a threat directed at the Copts,
particularly in North America, who are always vocal about the persecution of
Egypt's Copts.
Intensive media campaigns were waged to distort the reputation of Coptic
migrants, accusing them of treason, fanaticism and of seeking "empowerment
through foreign support," a term invented by the government to intimidate and
terrorize them.
Khalil criticized this moniker, saying "as American citizens, we use our
constitutional rights to help our Coptic brethrens in Egypt to get their
citizenship rights. We have not asked for any financial aid to be cut from
Egypt, or sought military intervention from a foreign power. We are only asking
that the Egyptian State honor its international obligations."
It has been reported that a draft has recently been presented to parliament
making "empowerment through foreign support" a criminal offense.
Outspoken journalist Salah Eissa of Dostor Newspaper wrote an article on
February 5, claiming the Egyptian regime hired PLM Lobbying Group to influence
members of Congress to support the Egyptian policy and the Mubarak regime. "The
regime mounts a campaign against Copts in the Diaspora because they are knocking
on the doors of Congress and sending letters to its members about conditions in
Egypt," wrote Eissa. "The regime wants to monopolize America for itself and
prevents any of Egyptians, even U.S. citizens, from contacting anyone."
For a long time the government has put pressure on the Coptic Church to
discourage Coptic human rights activities in the West. It was infuriated by
priests participating in the latest rallies.
In an article published on January 25, The Al-Gomhourya Newspaper accused Pope
Shenouda of causing sedition by allowing the Coptic priests to join the rallies
abroad. "We expected the Pope to instruct his chaplains to stop these
demonstrations," the article said.
A letter dated January 26 from the Egyptian Ambassador in Canada, Shamel Nasser,
to Rev. Marcos, of St. Mark Church of Toronto, contained a veiled threat: "both
Muslim and Christian preachers to adopt speeches that would assure and confirm
the religious unity and equality between Muslims and Christians." This letter
was viewed as an indirect threat to priests not to join the rallies and to also
discourage their congregations from joining the protests.
On January 30 the Toronto rally went out as planned with 10,000 Copts
participating.
Egyptian Embassies abroad were known to have successfully terrorized Coptic
participants in rallies, taking their photos threatening retaliation by state
security when they visit Egypt.
"Copts in the West are not afraid of any kind of government threat and we are
ready to face all challenges," Khalil said. "We are not better than Martin
Luther King, or the people who were martyred in Nag Hammadi."By Mary Abdelmassih
Ahmadinejad: Israel planning war this summer
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/me_iran0123_02_17.asp
NICOSIA —world tribune/ Iran has charged that Israel is planning to launch a
regional war by the
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Jewish state was conducting
intensive exercises in preparation for a regional war. Ahmadinejad said such a
war could erupt as early as April 2010. "According to information we have, they
[Israel] are seeking to start a war next spring or summer, although their
decision is not final yet," Ahmadinejad said on Feb. 16.
This marked the first time Iran has suggested an Israeli timetable for a
regional war. Over the last year, Ahmadinejad and other senior Iranian officials
have warned that Israel was building up its military with intensive maneuvers
along the borders of Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip. "But the resistance and
regional states will finish them if this fake regime does anything again,"
Ahmadinejad told a news conference. Officials said Iran's military has
determined that Israel would not conduct an air strike on nuclear facilities in
2010. They said Israel has failed to persuade its allies, particularly Turkey
and the United States, to facilitate such a long-range mission by providing air
space for refueling in Iraq or Turkey. Soon after Ahmadinejad's remarks, Iran's
leading proxy warned that it could fire missiles toward Israel's financial
center. Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah said his force, reported to
contain up to 50,000 missiles and rockets, could strike critical facilities in
the Jewish state. "If you hit Rafik Al Hariri international airport in Beirut,
we will hit Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv," Nasrallah said. "If you hit our
ports, we will bomb your ports, and if you hit our oil refineries, we will bomb
your oil refineries
Not Our War
18/02/2010
By Tariq Alhomayed
Asharq Al-Awsat,
The first stage of war is fought with words, as the saying goes, and what we see
today between Iran and the West is a real war of words. As soon as Iran
threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz recently, Tehran found itself face to
face with Washington in an ongoing and dangerous escalation, and Iran has been
dragged into a verbal confrontation with the US, rather than Israel, with the
intransigence now coming from the Obama administration. In Washington on Tuesday
the White House said that it was not ruling out any option – including a
military option – with regards to dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions, and US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "Iran is the largest supporter of
terrorism in the world today" and said that the country is on its way to
becoming a "military dictatorship."
The Iranian response to this was further escalation and Supreme Leader of Iran
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Clinton of spreading "lies." What was also
noticeable in Iran's response is what was said by Ahmadinejad, who said that he
expects a war to break out in the spring or the summer, and he threatened Israel
saying that in the event of a war breaking out, "the resistance and regional
states will finish them." He also threatened that Tehran's response will make
the superpowers "regretful" should they choose to impose new sanctions on the
country over its nuclear program. While on the exact same day, and only hours
after Ahmadinejad's statement, Hassan Nasrallah came out threatening Israel,
saying that if Israel attacks Lebanon's airport then Hezbollah will attack
Israel's airport, and that if Israel attacks civilians, Hezbollah would attack
Tel Aviv in retaliation. Nasrallah also mocked those who warned of the necessity
of "not giving Israel any pretext to launch aggression against Lebanon" as such
talk was dangerous "and was an attempt to acquit Israel and presumptively lays
all the responsibility on the resistance."
Some might ask what has one thing got to do with the other; what ties
Ahmadinejad's statement with what Nasrallah said?
This is the crux of the matter, for as we have repeatedly stated, whenever
Israel threatens Iran, Tehran responds by threatening the Gulf States, and
whenever Tehran raises its voice, Nasrallah comes out repeating Iran's words as
if he were an echo. What is interesting today is that in the event of a war
breaking out Ahmadinejad is threatening Israel and the West, and not on behalf
of his own country, but in the name of "the resistance and regional countries."
Firstly, what is the connection between the resistance and the regional
countries and Iran's nuclear program?
The other issue is that if Nasrallah is criticizing the Lebanese people who are
advocating not giving Israel any excuse to attack their country, and who are
intimating that is not their war, but rather Iran's war, then why on 28 December
2008, after the discovery of a Katyusha rocket cache, did Nasrallah criticize
those who were saying that these rockets belonged to Hezbollah, saying that this
would give Israel a justification and excuse to launch aggression against
Lebanon?
Therefore this war, should it take place, is Iran's war, and it is up to Iran –
which has not attempted any wise acts – to defuse this. Why should our region
and our countries be involved in this? It is not our war, and we do not desire
for it to take place, therefore this is solely Iran's war and that of its agents
as well. As for us, we will be victims of Iran should it gain nuclear
capabilities, and we will also be Tehran's victims should a war break out. Can
we realize this issue before we lose our minds in the midst of any future war
breaking out, God forbid
11 Qaida-Linked Suspects Charged with Spying
Naharnet/A Lebanese military judge charged 11 suspected members of an al-Qaida
inspired group with forming an armed gang and spying on the army and U.N.
peacekeepers, a judicial source said. "Judge Samih al-Hajj charged 11 suspected
members of Fatah al-Islam with forming an armed gang, spying on the army and
UNIFIL troops (in southern Lebanon), and forging ID papers," the source said,
requesting anonymity. If convicted, they could face the death penalty. Among
those charged -- several of them in absentia -- are Abdul Rahman Awad and Abdul
Ghani Jawhar, two Fatah al-Islam members accused of a deadly 2008 bus bombing in
the northern city of Tripoli. Fatah al-Islam, an obscure al-Qaida inspired
group, fought deadly battles against the Lebanese army in the summer of 2007 in
the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared near Tripoli. The fighting killed
400 people, including 168 soldiers, and displaced some 30,000 refugees from the
camp, which was leveled in the fighting won by the Lebanese army. Six
peacekeepers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UIFIL) were killed
by a bombing in south Lebanon in June 2007, while the Nahr al-Bared clashes
raged. Lebanese officials at the time pointed a finger of blame at Fatah
al-Islam. There have been widespread fears since the Nahr al-Bared battle that
the group has switched its base to the highly volatile Palestinian camp of Ain
el-Hilweh in southern Lebanon. Lebanese officials suspect that Awad, who is
dubbed the "prince of Fatah al-Islam," is holed up in Ain el-Hilweh, the largest
of Lebanon's 12 Palestinian camps. By longstanding convention, the Lebanese army
does not enter the camps, leaving security inside to Palestinian factions.(AFP)
Beirut, 18 Feb 10, 07:14
Moussa: Graveness of Regional Situation Necessitates High-Level Lebanese
Participation in Arab Summit
Naharnet/Arab League chief Amr Moussa acknowledged on Thursday of the "graveness
of the situation" in the region, saying this necessitates high-level Lebanese
participation in the Arab summit to be held in Libya in March. "Lebanon will
take part in the Arab summit and has responsibilities to represent the Arab
Group," Moussa told reporters after meeting President Michel Suleiman at Baabda
Palace. From there, Moussa headed for a meeting with Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami
at Bustros Palace. His comments came after Lebanon hinted it was sending a
low-level delegation to the Arab summit. Earlier, Moussa declined to answer a
question about his "advice" for Lebanon regarding Lebanon's participation in the
summit. "I know that Lebanon will participate, but the level of representation
is very important," Moussa told the daily An-Nahar in remarks published
Thursday. "Officials should be aware that Lebanon is a non-permanent member of
the Security Council and that many issues are at the summit and at the Security
Council ; and that Lebanon, which speaks on behalf of the Arabs group at the
international body, would be useful to be part of the decision-making process. "
Suleiman was likely not to take part in the summit. Lebanon, however, will be
represented in the meeting, but has not yet agreed on delegates. Libyan leader
Moammar Gadhafi has been blamed for the disappearance of the Iranian-born Imam
Moussa Sadr, who is also founder of AMAL Movement in Lebanon. Sadr went missing
in 1978 along with two companions after departing to Libya for talks with
government officials. Speaker Nabih Berri has said it was up to Suleiman only to
decide on Lebanon's participation in the summit, stressing that he "personally"
favored that Lebanon boycott the meeting. Beirut, 18 Feb 10, 12:55
Austrian FM Discusses Prospects for Mideast Peace, Joining UNIFIL
Naharnet/Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on Thursday held talks
with Lebanese leaders on the prospects for Middle East peace and chances for
Austria to take part in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. He kicked
off talks in a meeting with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace.
Spindelegger, who arrived in Beirut coming from Amman Thursday, will also
discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between Lebanon and Austria. Austria's FM
has expressed his country's willingness to join UNIFIL. "Our Chad mission has
ended, and we can withdraw our force in the Balkans on a step-by-step basis. We
need to participate in another international mission," Spindelegger told
Austrian newspaper Die Presse recently. Beirut, 18 Feb 10, 13:40
Czech FM in Beirut
Naharnet/Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout arrived in Beirut Thursday for talks
on the situation in the region and bilateral ties. Kohout met President Michel
Suleiman and Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami. "We intend to boost bilateral ties,"
said Kohout after meeting Shami. Beirut, 18 Feb 10, 14:06
Cabinet Okays Municipal Election Reform Law
Naharnet/Cabinet has approved draft amendments to the municipal election law
which allows for proportional representation in all constituencies.
The law reforms package also allows for a 20-percent female quota and
pre-printed ballots in the municipal polls scheduled for June 2010.
The endorsement was made during a Cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace on Wednesday.
President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri jointly presided over
the session. Cabinet is due to meet again on Feb. to approve a draft law to
reform the municipal election law. Information Minister Tareq Mitri said Cabinet
assigned Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to prepare a new draft law on municipal
elections that gathers all the approved amendments. He said Baroud should submit
the bill to Cabinet for approval at the Feb. 27 meeting. The draft law would
then be referred to Parliament for final approval. Cabinet ministers belonging
to Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces and Amin Gemayel's Phalange Party reluctantly
agreed to the proposed reforms, The Daily Star quoted well-informed ministerial
sources as saying. It said AMAL Movement ministers demanded that proportional
representation be also adopted in the 2013 parliamentary elections. Beirut, 18
Feb 10, 08:19
Harb Opposed Proportional Representation, Najjar Approved after Amendments
Naharnet/Labor Minister Butros Harb said Thursday he did not favor proportional
representation elections for fear they could "disrupt the development work in
municipalities as a result of political conflicts."Harb pointed out that
proportional representation, which was adopted by Cabinet on Wednesday, cannot
take the religious and family diversities.
"Maintaining a majority rule municipal election system would have been better,"
Harb told the Voice of Lebanon (VDL) radio station. "But what went on during
(Wednesday's) Cabinet session proves that we live in a democratic state," he
added. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar said he only approved
proportional representation after amendments were made. "Proportional
representation is not the best solution, but changes that have been introduced
contribute to the purification of elections, which made us support the decision
yesterday," he told VDL. Beirut, 18 Feb 10, 10:15
Larcher Wants Paris to Support Lebanese Army to Safeguard Lebanon
Naharnet/French Senate President Gerard Larcher on Wednesday reiterated support
for a united and independent Lebanon and said Paris will back the Lebanese army
to protect Lebanon.
During a press conference at the end of his visit to Beirut, Larcher said: "We
want Lebanon independent and united. We don't interfere in Lebanese internal
affairs but we back Lebanon."
He said France was committed to its participation in the United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon and announced support for Security Council Resolution 1701
without amendments. "We back Lebanon and the Lebanese army." "It is first the
responsibility of the state to protect Lebanon. I will discuss with the
president the type of support that we could provide to the army so that it plays
its role to the fullest," Larcher told reporters. He said a conference will be
held in France on March 17-21 to assist Lebanon.
"There is a window of hope and opportunity for Lebanon. France will contribute
to this," the French Senate president said. "Lebanon is an independent state
that does not cut its neighborly ties. I mean by it Syria and I also mean Israel
because we can't continue to deny the presence of Israel."
During his two-day visit to Beirut, Larcher met with President Michel Suleiman,
Speaker Nabih Berri, Premier Saad Hariri and several politicians and religious
leaders.
Later Wednesday, President Suleiman threw a lunch banquet in honor of Larcher
that was also attended by Speaker Berri and PM Hariri.
Suleiman saluted French efforts aiming at supporting Lebanon, its stability, and
economic and social development, adding that "achieving these goals necessarily
requires the implementation of UNSCR 1701." The president also called for
reaching a just and comprehensive peace in the middle east that is based on
international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab peace initiative "which
rejects any form of naturalizing the Palestinian refugees (in Lebanon) with its
acknowledgement of their right of return." "The threats of regional war and
terrorism are still considered serious challenges which we should face in order
to preserve our stability and national achievements. We should also face the
Israeli threats against Lebanon and its people," Suleiman added. For his part,
Larcher reiterated France's support for Lebanon, stressing that "the will of the
Lebanese to live together is strong despite all divisions, whether local or
'imported.'""I want to declare France's stance: Full support for Lebanon's
independence, sovereignty, and its full authority over its territories," added
Larcher. Beirut, 17 Feb 10, 12:46
Berri: We Want 'Transition to Statehood' But Only After Acknowledging End of
'Former' State
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday stressed the need for "transition to
statehood" but associated it with "acknowledging" the end of the "former" State.
"We, alongside our brothers who rallied on February 14, seek 'transition to
statehood', but only after acknowledging the end of the 'former' State," Berri
said in a speech at the inauguration of a medical conference at Zahraa Hospital.
"Why would we deny this matter? We acknowledge that the (current) State has gone
too far in tyranny and in depriving its people," added Berri.
As to his previous proposal to form a commission to abolish political
sectarianism, Berri said: "We will pursue our democratic struggle to reach the
Lebanon of justice and equality. We tell our brothers not to think that we want
the domination of one sect over the other … but Lebanon would remain weak before
Israel as a result of political sectarianism."
"Israel can cause death and destruction with its weapons, but the only result of
its war will be defeat and strategic failure. It won't be able of dividing our
internal front nor of creating a gap between the resistance and the army," Berri
said on the issue of recent Israeli threats. "Neither Israeli threats nor
political crises will be able to obstruct the progress of Lebanon as it becomes
a monetary and financial paradigm because of its success in overcoming the
global economic crisis," he added. On the other hand, Berri urged the Lebanese
State to boycott Libya's Arab League Summit. "I remind Arab leaders that Imam
Sadr and his companions were kidnapped on August (31, 1978) when the Imam was
seeking to hold an Arab summit like the one they are calling for nowadays,"
Berri addressed the Arab leaders. Beirut, 17 Feb 10, 19:53
Clinton: Syrian Arms Supplies to Hizbullah Reflect Negatively on Damascus
Naharnet/U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed regret Wednesday that
Syria is supplying Hizbullah with weapons, saying this would reflect negatively
on Damascus.
"Syrian arms supplies to Hizbullah will reflect negatively on Syria," Clinton
told Al-Hurra TV. This issue of Syrians providing weapons to Hizbullah is "not
something positive for both Lebanon and Israel." "Syria needs to focus on trying
to resolve its differences with Israel, not aggravate them," Clinton believed.
She stressed the importance of partnership between Washington and the Islamic
world, saying she saw "a lot of common ground" between the United States and
Islamic and Arab peoples." Beirut, 17 Feb 10, 12:04
Ahmadinejad contacts Sleiman
February 18, 2010
The National News Agency (NNA) reported on Thursday that Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Sleiman, to relay
Iran’s support for Lebanon in confronting Israeli threats. Sleiman, in turn,
reportedly told Ahmadinejad that Lebanon faces Israel’s intimidation attempts
through bolstering the country’s national unity as well as enhancing Lebanon’s
military capabilities.-NOW Lebanon
The Druze’s future in March 14 Talking to Marwan Hamadeh
Mona Alami, February 18, 2010
Now Lebanon
As one of the staunchest critics of Syria’s 29-year military presence in Lebanon
and as one of the greatest advocates of sovereignty, it came as a surprise to
some when Druze leader Walid Jumblatt announced his departure from the
pro-independence March 14 alliance last year.
Though he has not yet travelled to Damascus to complete his rapprochement with
the Assad regime, he has met with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah and reconciled with the March 8-aligned parties his followers fought
during the 2008 May events. Many of his Druze followers felt betrayed and
questioned their leader’s logic.
And while Jumblatt paid lip service to the ideals he used to embrace by making a
brief appearance at the February 14 commemoration of the 2005 assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, he met later that day with Hassan Nasrallah.
In the wake of this latest event, NOW spoke with MP Marwan Hamadeh, a member of
Jumblatt’s Democratic Gathering bloc, on Druze representation in March 14 and
the on future of the alliance itself.
On February 14 during the Hariri commemoration, Walid Jumblatt made only a brief
appearance at Martyrs Square and did not give a speech. A few hours later he met
with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Was there an intended
symbolism in this?
Marwan Hamadeh: Jumblatt did not absent himself from Martyrs Square; his visit
was a token of friendship to Rafik Hariri and his son [current Prime Minister
Saad Hariri]. This did not come as a surprise; the form and limits of his
participation [in March 14] were [obvious] since… the eve of the Lebanese
parliamentary elections in June. The March 14 movement, which had become used to
Jumblatt’s active presence, might have been disappointed to see him only
surreptitiously and not hear him speak. Jumblatt has turned the page without
recanting the achievements of [his time in March 14], such as the establishment
of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and of diplomatic relations with Syria, the
formation of the consensus government and the relative quiet of the sectarian
climate.
This shift has certainly injured many minds and disrupted the political
equilibrium. One has, however, to understand Walid Jumblatt. I faced, along his
side, the first trial of the May to June 1977 period [following the
assassination of his father, Kamal Jumblatt], when he decided for reasons tied
to the security of the Mountain and the survival of what remained of leftist
movements to take the road to Damascus for the first time. I understand the
essence of his position, but whether I approve of its form or not is something
that would be said to him directly.
What do you say to the Druze who voted in favor of Walid Jumblatt’s
parliamentary list in 2009 in what was essentially a “no” vote on Hezbollah?
Hamadeh: In 1992 we disbanded all militias, [and they] were stripped of their
heavy artillery. Hezbollah was the exception; it was to keep its weapons until
the liberation of the South. Starting in 2000 [with the end of the Israeli
occupation], the situation became highly ambiguous regarding the [disputed
territory of the] Shebaa Farms and the fate of Hezbollah’s weapons; would they
be used for the liberation of Lebanese territories or of the overall occupied
Arab territories? Or were they to become a tool in the hands of Iran? I agree
that this issue should be the focus of the national dialogue, but when will the
dialogue be held and who will participate in it? What topics will be included…
on the table? I tend to agree with Walid Jumblatt that Article 4 of UN
Resolution 1559, which tackles the issue of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias,
should fall within the sphere of the national dialogue. I reject, however, that
any mention of these weapons be considered a crime of lčse-majesté! Lebanon’s
independence, its Arab engagement, its democratic system are the foundations of
our national pact. We can’t allow the dictatorial regimes surrounding us to
[manipulate] the Lebanese system… which [Syria] attempted in 2004 when they
extended the mandate of [pro-Syrian then-President] Emile Lahoud.
Is Walid Jumblatt conscious of the feeling of discontent prevailing in the Druze
community? How will this new reality affect his popular base in the long run?
Hamadeh: Walid Jumblatt has publicly admitted the existence of a feeling of
discontent [among his followers]. However, I think the community will choose to
preserve its unity, given its particular political and social configuration.
Where does this leave you vis-ŕ-vis the March 14 alliance?
Hamadeh: I stay faithful to the Democratic Gathering bloc because I believe it
to be, by nature, democratic. I remain bound to the March 14 movement, and to
what it represents for the majority of people, and more particularly for the
youth, which loves the symbolism of the colorful and multi-confessional crowd…
that initiated the Cedar Revolution. The cedar, an Arab tree, is not
isolationist by nature; it can be found in Bcharre, Barouk or Mount Atlas!
Lebanon can pride itself on being the defender of national causes, among which,
the Palestinian cause. Lebanon needs to survive in order to be allowed to
fulfill its role, which does not limit itself to being used as cannon fodder by
regional dictatorial and fanatical regimes.
Have the members of March 14 who were killed – whether Rafik Hariri, Bassil
Fleihan, Gebran Tueni or Samir Kassir – died in vain?
Hamadeh: Certainly not! And I am not trying to provide people with a sort of
anti-depressant political pill. Since 2005, Lebanon has escaped the hegemony of
regional powers. Free elections, which are practically the only democratic ones
to be organized in the region, still prevail. The formation of the Lebanese
government, in spite of the lengthy process – it might require six months –
still take place away from Aanjar and Damascus.
Regarding the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, I am surprised by the
speculation surrounding the ongoing investigation and the accusations that have
come against it. The tribunal was established by a resolution under Chapter 7 of
the UN Security Council that was reached unanimously. This tribunal is not to be
an ordinary moment, nor the carrot or the stick in the hands of one power or
another. I am convinced that the serial killer unleashed between 2004 and 2009
will be discovered and brought to justice.
Nausea and the Jdeideh incident
Michael Young, February 18, 2010
Now Lebanon/
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (L) and Michel Aoun have
been close allies since they signed the Memorandum of Understanding in 2006.
(Archive)
I realize that Hezbollah tends to provoke strange reactions in people, but
somehow found myself ill prepared for the statement of the Aounist
parliamentarian Nabil Nicolas last Monday at a commemoration held at the St.
Joseph school in Jdeideh for three assassinated Hezbollah officials – Imad
Mugniyah, Ragheb Harb and Abbas al-Moussawi.
In his speech Nicolas opined, after mentioning Hezbollah’s dead, that Christians
considered the “first martyr against the Jews to be Jesus Christ.” He then
compared what had motivated Hezbollah’s martyrs with the Christian impulse to
sacrifice, “especially as the Maronites have begun Lent, which is considered the
month of resistance by Christians.” His colleague, Camille Habib, Michel Aoun’s
spokesman, sounded a similar note, declaring that he hoped that St. Maroun would
ensure that “we can get to Jerusalem and beyond, and beyond Haifa,” echoing a
statement by Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, during the 2006
war.
Nicolas’ theology was off, as was Habib’s geography, but the real question is
whether the Aounists, when they speak in this way, expect us to take them
seriously. Indeed, do they expect Hezbollah to take them seriously? In wanting
to sound even more like Hezbollah than Hezbollah itself, the Aounists come
across as members of a frightened minority, keen to curry favor with the more
powerful than they by adopting their rhetoric.
The Jdeideh incident provoked consternation among Christians. It shouldn’t have,
at least for the reasons it did. The reaction of many people was that Hezbollah
should organize its political gatherings in Shia areas, not in predominantly
Christian ones (though there is a more solid case to be made that the party
should not do so in Christian religious schools, or in any schools for that
matter). A former parliamentarian, Fares Soueid, expressed this logic by asking
whether “the Kataeb or the Lebanese Forces could hold a ceremony to honor the
martyred president, Bachir Gemayel, at [the] Rawdat al-Shahidayn [mosque] in the
southern suburbs.”
Unfortunately, that’s precisely the logic that has allowed Hezbollah to
consolidate its mini-state in the past 15 years. Where there is recognition of
enclosed sectarian areas, there is also implicit legitimization of Hezbollah’s
exclusive domination of Shia-majority areas. They’re there, we’re here, the
argument goes, and by staying that way everyone is happy. If Lebanon is ever to
become a real state, such thinking must end.
But since we won’t resolve that problem just yet, let’s focus on the rationale
of those like Nicolas and Habib, and their Aounist followers, who have in recent
years embraced Hezbollah in the most uncritical of ways. When Michel Aoun and
Nasrallah signed their “understanding” at the Mar Mikhail Church in Chiyyah in
February 2006, Aounists defended the document as an agreement between equal
parties. There was some reason to accept the interpretation. Aoun headed a large
bloc in parliament, and while Hezbollah had the weapons, it was dependent at the
time on its new Christian partner to break out of its isolation.
But then things began to change. Although Aoun continued to portray himself as a
prime defender of the Lebanese state, he endorsed Hezbollah’s behavior during
the 2006 war, which the party provoked without consulting the Lebanese
government or its own partners. Aoun also upheld the party’s right to retain its
weapons, linking disarmament to an end of the Mideast conflict, even though he
had provoked a devastating inter-Christian war in 1989-1990 to disarm the
Lebanese Forces.
Aoun also retreated from what he had earlier said about the assassination of the
former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri. Where the general had repeatedly blamed
Syria in 2005, in an interview with Marcel Ghanem in March 2006, soon after
signing his understanding with Hezbollah, he shifted the blame onto
“fundamentalists”, by which he meant Sunni fundamentalists, drawing attention
away from the more likely culprits.
And when Hezbollah began its protest in the downtown area in December 2006 to
forcibly remove a constitutionally legitimate government, Aoun, the erstwhile
defender of the state, went down with the party. Worse, during the 18-month
crisis that followed, when Aoun sought to impose himself as president to succeed
Emile Lahoud, Hezbollah supported his efforts, but never once formally endorsed
him as its candidate. In the end it was the party’s acceptance of Michel Sleiman
during the Doha Conference of June 2007 that shattered Aoun’s presidential
dreams.
In other words, at every stage Hezbollah set the agenda and Aoun followed, even
when doing so meant undermining his declared principles or ambitions. So to
watch as the Aounists now bend their religious symbolism out of shape to make it
more compatible with Hezbollah’s political symbolism is truly nauseating. Michel
Aoun has obliterated any semblance of an independent personality in his
interaction with the party.
What Soueid should have asked is not whether Hezbollah would allow a ceremony in
the southern suburbs to honor Bachir Gemayel; but rather whether Hassan
Nasrallah would have paid tribute to Bachir (whose takeover of the presidency
Michel Aoun helped engineer) in the same way that the Aounists did to Mugniyah.
In its leaders’ oratory Hezbollah never concedes anything on its worldview, even
to its allies.
When Nicolas compared Imad Mugniyah to Jesus Christ, the party faithful in the
audience must have felt contempt for the Aounist parliamentarian. After all,
even Hezbollah does not consider Mugniyah a prophet. What fools we’re friends
with, they must have gleefully thought.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of the Daily Star newspaper in Beirut.